I’ve just witnessed what has to be one of the strangest
movies to qualify for cult status that I’ve ever seen. Cult movies always have
something a bit off to them that makes them movies that a select group enjoys.
This one…I’m not sure what that group is but they exists. That this film is
still being talked about 45 years later proves that.
If you’ve never seen the film the weirdness takes place
immediately. Anjanette Comer stars as Ann Gentry, a social worker assigned to a
welfare case involving Baby (David Mooney). Yes that’s the child’s name, Baby.
Except that this is not a child. Baby is a grown man whose development has left
him in a baby-like state. He sleeps in a crib, eats from a bottle, wears
diapers, etc. No this is not a fetish film for those who like to dress this
way, the character actually hasn’t grown at all due to mental issues.
Baby’s family is just as unusual as he is. His mother Mrs.
Wadsworth (Ruth Roman) is a chain-smoking ruler of the roost. She acts normal,
as if this is something one would expect. Sister Germaine (Marianna Hill) is
the hot sister who makes money on occasion modeling. And sister Alba (Susanne
Zenor) picks up the occasional check teaching tennis. But each has their own
issues with Baby as we see while the film progresses.
For that matter so does Ann. Her interest in the case nears
the point of obsession, something her boss and the Wadsworth family make note
of. While her other cases are set aside she spends more and more time with
Baby. Ann also has a past that she refuses to discuss. She’s married but we
never see her husband. She lives with her mother-in-law but the two rarely
discuss the woman’s son.
Ann’s obsession with Baby reaches a boiling point and the
family requests that she be taken off the case. Ann threatens the family with
an investigation, the result of which would be their losing the welfare they
receive to take care of Baby. The final chapter of the film revolves around
just which of these two parties will win and what their real motives are.
The first unusual part of the film involves Ann’s acceptance
of the situation and of Baby himself. One would think there would be some
semblance of shock on the face of a person in this situation but she acts like
it’s nothing to be concerned about. While the other characters act the same
they’ve been in this situation for some time. But not Ann.
Something else unusual is that the film never ventures into
the salacious, instead presenting the movie in an almost TV movie of the week atmosphere.
With the exception of one scene (and even that one might get by these days)
this movie could play on television without raising an eyebrow. Exploitation
films normally go for a tad more sex and this film avoids that almost
completely.
There is a nice mystery at the bottom of things here and
that makes the movie more interesting than I thought it would. The ending of
the film also is a highlight, the entire last 20 minutes or so. If you begin
watching but think you’re just not sure about the film hang in there and watch
it through to the end. It might still not be your cup of tea but my guess is
you’ll find the ending leaving you satisfied.
For me the most startling thing about the film was that it
was directed by Ted Post. Post is not a name I would have associated with
exploitation films. He directed features like BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES,
HANG ‘EM HIGH and MAGNUM FORCE and TV series episodes for shows like COLUMBO,
PEYTON PLACE, COMBAT, RAWHIDE and GUNSMOKE. But something about this picture
interested him. This means the talent onscreen and behind the camera were more
than one would expect.
The film has been released on disc before but as per usual
Arrow Video has gone out of their way to make this film available in the best
format possible. To begin with the disc gives you the choice of watching it in
a 1.85:1 or 1.33:1 version of the film, both in high definition. Extras include
a brand new audio commentary track by Travis Crawford, DOWN WILL COME BABY a
new retrospective with professor Rebekah McKendry, TALES FROM THE CRIB an
archival audio interview with director Ted Post, BABY TALK an archival audio
interview with Mooney, the theatrical trailer, a reversible sleeve featuring
newly commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil and for the first pressing only
a collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Kat Ellinger.
Granted this might not be everyone’s cup of tea but those
who praise the film will find that this will be the edition to add to their
collection.
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